Chapter 21

As the term went on the once golden trios relationship got worse and worse. In fact soon Harry and Ron were not talking to Hermione at all. She was so upset but in true Hermione fashion she buried her self in her work.

Elle talked a lot to Fred and to Harry about her grief. She missed her granddad but before he died had he known? She just didn't know what to believe any more.

She wrote to Dudley often still. She was probably as bed as Vernon and Petunia as she didn't tell him anything about Vanessa. She didn't want to worry him with it until she was going to be there with him. He didn't know what had been going on of that she was sure. He could lie well to his parents but not to her. This time she didn't fill him with illusion and admitted in her first letter home that she would not be returning for the Easter holidays.

Hagrid however was Elle's main concern for the moment. He was so down bless his heart. But Elle, Hermione and Emily who Elle dragged along so they could become friends to see him every evening after classes so they could start getting a case together to save the hippogriff. It was no doubt the fact that Malfoy was back that was getting him so stressed out again. The remarks that boy made were awful.

"Look," said Ellouise to Hagrid one night after classes had ended. "The three of us will do all we can to help, you know we will."

"Yeah but what if I let him down, Elle, what if I did let Buckbeak down? I couldn't live with myself." he asked.

"Hagrid I don't believe you letting him down is possible. We'll pull through this," she reassured him. "I'll eat my wand if we don't. Every one knows what a nasty liar Malfoy is. Any one who believes him is mad."

"Hagrid have you ever heard of a muggle show called "Charlie's angels"?" Hermione asked.

"No."

"Well; it's about this man and he has three very beautiful women working for him and I swear until we get him off the three of us will work as hard as Charlie's angels do." She told him.

"Yeah, of course, we will," said Emily. "Hey, we can be Hagrid's angels."

"You already are for what you are doing for me and Beaky," said Hagrid his gratitude showing in his deep voice.

Elle returned to the library book she was looking at. She, Emily and Hermione had another cup of tea before leaving and on the way they talked.

"Poor Hagrid, I wish there was more we could do," Emily told them.

"So do we but we are all ready doing all we can….unlike some people," Hermione said on seeing Ron and Harry.

"They do seem to have forgotten don't they with everything else going on…" said Elle.

"Yeah I guess the fact Sirius Black is after him…" said Hermione before realising Ellouise still didn't know.

"What?" said Elle in shock.

"Nothing," said Hermione with her cheeks turning bright red.

"No Hermione it was not nothing, did you just say Sirius Black is after my cousin- after my brother?" Hermione just nodded her head.

"How could you keep this from me all this time? The three of us have been like sisters! Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't Harry tell me?" she said storming off to where the two boys stood outside the great hall.

"Can we talk in the common room please?" said Elle to her cousin. While she did want answers she did not want to make a scene.

"Sure." Said Harry. "I'll be back in a minute." To Ron who was walking off to join Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnagan in a conversation no doubt about Quidditch.

"What is it Elle?" he asked when they arrived at an empty common room.

"Oh only the fact a murderer is on the run and trying to find my brother and if he succeeds then my brother will go the same way as the rest of his victims." Harry closed his eyes. How on earth had she found out? He wiped his face in sadness. She wasn't meant to have discovered this, especially not with it not being him who told her. "Why didn't you tell me? Didn't I have a right to know?"

"Of course you did and I am sorry but Elle put yourself in my position I was just trying to protect you. I love you and lately you have been throw hell and back again. I didn't want you to worry about me," he stated clearly.

"Well, if you've been keeping this from me how am I not meant to worry about you. We have never keep secrets. We were always best friends and I thought we still were."

"Of course we are babe." He said.

"Then why is it when the biggest thing happens you keep it from me." She said. "Is there any thing else I should know about?"

"No. Elle, I swear I was just trying to protect you."

"You know what sometimes I get sick of getting protected. I get the big brother routine from Dudley I do not need it from you Harry."

"Excuse me, but I think you'll find, I am your brother, he is not," said Harry as Elle sat back on to the sofa.

"I could have coped with this if you had told me but Harry, do you know how humiliating it was to have to hear it from Hermione?" her voice was quieter now. She looked so tired and who could blame her! He doubted she got any sleep some nights right now!

"Oh sweetheart I am so sorry but I thought I was doing the right thing. I am sorry." He said sitting next to her and stroking a bit of hair away from her face. She let a tear fall as she said.

"Why doesn't any one ever ask me what I want Harry? Why is every part of my life right now feeling like everyone just mould's it in to place for how they want it to be. What about what I want? Every one plots and lies just so they can make me in to who they want me to be, even my so called parent's. What about who I want me to be?" she said her tears falling as fast as she was wiping them away. "Why can't any one love me for me, for who I am?"

"Baby I do love you for you. I know I should have told you. I just didn't want you worrying, please, come on Elle," he said letting her relax in his arms. She lay in his arms for five minutes before he took her to get dinner.

"Promise me Harry, no more secrets," she said on the way to dinner.

"No more secrets I promise," he said. She needed him to be honest and strong for her right now. She wasn't as strong as she made out to be.

Hermione apologised over and over to Harry for telling his secret out but this had defiantly made him angrier with her but Elle hugged her and thanked her for telling her.

But she still felt bad. Elle was twelve years old. She had too much on her shoulders and it was unfair on her to have too carry the weight of the word on her shoulders. Well her part of the world.

As she sat in Fred's arms that night laughing and relaxing she knew something was wrong with him, He held her tighter but thought more. She kissed him gently and laid her head on his chest. She liked hearing his strong heart beat.

He lent down and took in the smell of her hair. It was so soft. Not overpowering just there, just right. She was so perfect. She was the best girlfriend in the world. And he was the worst boyfriend in the history of the world.

He hated himself for what he had done. She was so good and loyal and he was such a stupid git. On the night before she had buried her granddad he had kissed Angelina. In the way he should only kiss Elle, His girl. He hadn't meant to but he was alone and vulnerable and he was missing Elle so much! They hadn't been a day with out each other in three months! She deserved so much better. When angel had done it to hi m he hadn't taken her back, so what chances did he have if Elle found out!

He couldn't lose her. He loved her!

A/N: oh dear! More drama! I'm glad too say the next chapter is a lot lighter with some humour and a big piece of romance (and a god daughter/god father fluff moment)

Dante Lewis: the reunion between Elle and Remus wont come till the shrieking shack the way I have planned it if it stays the same but some times it just changes as I write it so don't get your hopes up too high until we reach the shack.

I wish I thought of an Elle/ Petunia show down my self but as you said I think the way I wrote it Vernon was petunias main concerns and Dudley too. I think the entire family see Elle as the stronger one who is more independent now she off at "drama school". There she has too fend for her self whereas Dudley is still at home and can talk to his parents whenever they need him.

Now you pointed it out to me I see that you're perfectly right! Petunia would visit Vanessa. I based this chapter on my Nan's funeral (apart from the finding my dead cousin of course!) and thinking about it the first thing me and my sister and cousin did was run to my granddads grave to cry in private so maybe petunia should of gone off straight away but it is done now. The chapters up and I think now the way I'm going to write it now is kind of like in the Marauder/Dursley showdown (yes there will be one!)That Elle is going to use the grave as an ace card to stop Vernon having a go at James when he did nothing wrong whom she believes by now.

But I won't give you any other spoilers for now! Use my work for your work all you want, I need the feed back!

Taeniaea: thanks for reviewing!

DrunkenBuddie: Ron is cute especially in the films. I and my best friend always laugh at his voice. He's such a sweetie. The biggest difference in age I have ever had in a relationship is a year. I've no experience in romance really I saw my boy friend 4 times in the 6 months we were together (Long distance). But as I said before when I started writing about them being an item, it came naturally, like they were just meant to be.

Sarahamanda: thanks for reviewing!

TabbyMinerva: yep just for now there's not much suspense but a lot more in later chapters is on its way. Yes there will bee a big confrontation scene in Dumbledore's office Dursley vs. Marauders. Yes I can safely say the Potters will be reunited soon. No problems not many people could I had trouble reviewing too. The site had problems didn't it?

Thanks too all my wonderful reviewers!

Rocks-my-socks